The atmosphere at the Yellow Vest protests in the heart of the French capital has become more strained as demonstrators engage in scuffles with police officers, News.am reported citing RT.
Saturday’s protest started with calm demonstrations but a few hours later tensions rose and police resorted to force against the rioters near the artistic Montmartre district in the north of the capital.
Scuffles also broke out near Madeleine Church, some 2km from Montmartre. Protesters were also seen near the iconic Louvre Museum and Sacre-Coeur Basilica.
Later, in the evening, a group of protesters tried to block traffic on the Champs Elysees. Riot police arrived on the scene and surrounded the area, attempting to disperse demonstrators.
Over 140 people were arrested in Paris by 6 pm, including one Yellow Vests leader, a truck driver named Eric Drouet, for organizing an "illegal demonstration" that disrupted public traffic, wielding an "offensive weapon" and taking part in mob violence, according to a source from the prosecutor. 19 people were taken into custody.
As in previous weeks, the protests also spread beyond the capital. Across the entire country, some 38,600 protesters turned out, according to Interior Ministry estimates. A total of 220 arrests were made and 81 people were taken into police custody.
Some 300 demonstrators gathered in front of the city hall in Marseille. People also marched near a local police station, demanding the release of two Yellow Vests who had been detained earlier in the day.
